Brushing teeth could prevent heart attacks and strokes

Brushing and flossing can be good for your heart and blood vessels as well as you teeth, according to research.

Dental treatments and good oral hygiene can help the flow of blood through arteries, the study by British and US researchers found. It could help prevent heart attacks and strokes, they say.

A group of 120 patients with severe periodontitis - gum disease - were given either a standard or specially-intensive course of treatment which included clearing bacteria-filled plaque, and the extraction of teeth that were no longer safely rooted in the gum.

Initially the function of blood vessels of intensively-treated patients appeared to worsen. But after 60 days they improved compared with patients given the standard treatment. After 180 days a difference of 2% was seen between the groups.

Dilation of the arteries in response to blood flow was increased. This occurred at the same time as the patients' gums became healthier.

The findings from scientists at University College London and the University of Connecticut in the US are reported today in the New England Journal of Medicine. John Deanfield, from the UCL Institute of Child Health, said: "Previous studies have shown an association between periodontitis and blood vessel dysfunction, heart attack and stroke.

"However, a clinical trial was required to test whether these links could be causal. This is the first time that a direct link has been made between treatment for gum disease and improved circulatory function, which is relevant to some of the UK's biggest killers: heart attack and stroke.

"This finding therefore has potential implications for public health, but further studies are required to determine whether the treatment of severe periodontitis could directly contribute to the prevention of disease of the arteries (atherosclerosis), stroke and heart attacks."

The precise mechanism by which gum disease affects the function of blood vessel cell walls is still uncertain. Gum disease involves infection by bacteria which invade tissue around the teeth. One possibility is that some of these bacteria enter the bloodstream, and cause direct damage to arteries. Another is that they trigger a low-grade inflammatory response throughout the body.

Peter Weissberg, medical director of the British Heart Foundation, said: "It has long been known that people with abnormal heart valves can become seriously ill if they have poor dental hygiene. Several recent studies have hinted that poor oral health may also increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

"This important study provides direct evidence linking an improvement in dental health with better blood vessel function. Longer-term studies will show if this also means reduced levels of heart disease for this group of patients. It may be that people who take care of their dental hygiene avoid more than just a toothache."

Article Source: Medical Health Care Information

Sleep Disturbances Among the Elderly

Difficulty falling asleep or staying asleep, getting too much sleep, and lack of quality sleep are common problems for the elderly.

According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, here are some frequent causes:

* Lack of exercise.
* Depression.
* Chronic pain caused by arthritis and similar conditions.
* Certain chronic diseases, including congestive heart failure.
* Need to urinate frequently.
* Use of caffeine, prescription drugs, or alcohol.
* Neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's.

Sleep Mistakes

You are how you sleep. It's the one-third of your life that most affects the two others. Of course, when your kids are young and you need lots of energy to get through the day, getting a good night's rest can be challenging.

If you're not sleeping well, you're not alone:

* Two-thirds of women report symptoms of insomnia at least a few nights a week.

* The average woman over age 30 sleeps only six hours and 41 minutes a night. No doubt, moms of babies or toddlers are lucky to get that much!

As a mom, some of the very things you do in the name of good parenting can compromise your sleep. Here are some common mistakes moms make, and how to fix them so you can sleep like a baby, or, even better, like a well-rested adult.

Article Source: Medical Health Care Information

Whole-grain breakfast cereals 'good for the heart'

To some it is like chewing soggy cardboard. To others it is the only way to start the day. Now researchers have come to the defence of lovers of muesli, Weetabix, Shredded Wheat and similar breakfast cereals with a study showing they really are better for the heart.

People who eat whole grain breakfast cereals seven or more times a week have a 28 per cent lower risk of developing heart failure, researchers found.

The risk of heart failure falls 22 per cent in those who eat the cereals two to six times a week and by 14 per cent in those who eat them up to once week.

The findings add to growing evidence for the health benefits of breakfast. Nutritionists say starting the day with an intake of complex carbohydrates, which take longer to be digested and release their energy more slowly, boosts concentration as well as being better for the body.

Previous research has shown that a bowl of high-fibre cereal in the morning can reduce blood pressure and lower cholesterol.

Results from the Physician's Health Study in the US, one of the longest examining the link between health and diet, were presented at the American Heart Association's conference in Florida yesterday - and they seem to confirm the link. More than 10,000 doctors were monitored for 25 years with detailed annual questionnaires, including details of heart events and breakfast cereal consumption.

Four out of five said they chose whole grain cereals, with a third saying they ate them seven or more times a week, and a quarter eating them up to once a week. The study was conducted from 1982 to 2006.

Luc Djoussé, the assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School who led the study, said: "There are good and powerful arguments for eating a whole grain cereal for breakfast. The benefits are not just for kids but also for adults. A whole grain, high-fibre breakfast may lower blood pressure and bad cholesterol and prevent heart attacks."

Doctors are known to eat healthier diets and take more exercise than the average person. But the finding that a small tweak to the diet can make a difference even in this population strengthens the result, Dr Djoussé said.

Dr Djoussé said he hoped the findings would encourage people to eat healthily. "The study shows that even in a population with overall healthy behaviour it is possible to see less heart failure in those who eat a whole grain cereal breakfast."

The study was funded by the National Cancer Institute and the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute in the US and not by the cereal manufacturers. For the purposes of the study, cereals with at least 25 per cent oat or bran content were classified as whole grain.

The findings follow research in January suggesting women who eat a high fibre diet can cut their risk of breast cancer by half.

Researchers from the University of Leeds who studied 35,000 women over seven years said the protective effect was seen in women who ate 30 grams of fibre a day - about twice the normal level.

But the effect lasted only until the menopause. In post-menopausal women, high consumption of fibre had no effect.

Article Source: Medical Health Care Information